The 2018 Devils Peak Downhill race ripped down Guanella pass near Georgetown, Colorado on August 18th and 19th, 2018. Dubler was there shooting photos, a full album of which you can find on our Facebook page here.

Our fearless leader Justin Rouleau modeling this year’s badass trophy: a ram’s skull with a snake coming out the eye socket.

DPDH MVP Erica Gerhardt preparing the Wheel of Death for the following evening’s pagan rituals.

Sean Knapp showed up to throw hay with his dog.

The wheel contained hidden messages behind the sawblade.

Your loyal photographer was too busy taking hot runs to shoot any skate photos on Saturday; but he showed up to document the pagan rituals after nightfall.

Colorado downhill events have traditionally used a “Wheel of Death, Hand of God” system to create racing brackets. Riders’ names are written on the wheel and they spin to find out who they’re racing against.

The “Hand of God” refers to occasional organizer interference to balance the brackets and ensure fairness.

Justin does a good job keeping things moving.

This all goes down Saturday night at the campsite. There’s a lot of fire involved.

The CHAINSAW SHOTGUN is a ritual that dates to the 2011[?] Buffalo Bill Downhill Pagan Party at Coop’s compound.

It’s pretty much exactly what you think it is.You grab a can of your favorite beverage.

Coop fires up the chainsaw.

He cuts a hole in the can with the chainsaw.

You pop the top and chug your beverage through the chainsaw hole.

It’s great fun.

Then we burn the wheel.

If you spill your beverage you have to drink the rest of it out of your shoe.

Also you might get smocked. Eventually, you crawl back to your tent and rest up for race day.

We started the day with some freeride runs. Devils Peak was Tanner Morelock’s first race back following a knee injury last year. He was gettin’ it.

Casey Morrow showed up!

Colorado legend Kevin “Coop” Cooper was out there gettin’ it.Calvin was there defending his title.A whole gang of boys showed up from all over. Here’s Stephan Vaast, Trevor Ovenden, Simon Snethen, Austin Pedroni, and Zak Maytum going out for a hot one.Utah boiz Kalil Hammouri and Riley Irvine getting that critical GoPro footy.Intergenerational radness with the grizzled Scott Lembach and astonishingly fast fetus child Nick Broms. Aspiring dad Kyle Wester bringing up the back.

Fat squad taking on the Whiskey Left.Ashley Winecoff came out with a delegation from North Carolina and spent the night on top of T-Ridge before dawn patrolling the backside like fucking badasses.New father and Skatehouse uncle Louis Pilloni showed up!It was a beautiful day.The pack runs were lit. Whiskey has crazy pavement that’s grippy, then slidy, then super grippy again.
Daina Banks STEAMING into the party corner.T-Rev bringing up the rear on a fat pack run.

Marshall Parrish is the best at turning right. You cannot change my mind.The last pack run opened with the “Race Rouleau for Cash” heat. Emily Pross took it!Young Bratwurst was gettin’ rad.Stephan Vaast took a break from building race cars and schooling people on helmet safety to get some adrenaline.Brandon Allion was there with the tiny metal board.This was a shitshow.

Rouleau started racing early to beat the forecasted rain. Here’s Cal in his first heat.
Danger Dane looking good from the very first round.Marshall Parrish raced in an unzipped leather jacket and made the quarter finals because he’s a fucking thug.Dusting fools in NJKs.Wester doing the damn thing. He got crashed out early.

The first round was five man heats, top two advance. It was heated from the jump.Everyone is good now.Second round got kicked off after a delay. Here’s Dan Arney modeling some truly exceptional eyewear.Simon and Micah, way out front.
The autofocus on Canon cameras cannot handle black and red leathers; so here’s one of the very few sharp Emily Pross photos I got.
Thrills! Spills! Unexpected upsets!Josh Rolf was in the zone!The Dangle skidding in the third round.A-Swag skidding into the quarterfinals.Party corner was going off.Spectators came prepared to chill.Simon got his favorite t-shirt graphic as patches on his leathers and I LIVE FOR IT.

This graffiti was scratched into the National Forest sign.Daniel and Dane leading their quarterfinals heat.Nick Broms and Zak Maytum were neck and neck through the chicane while A-Swag was hot on the chase.
Riley, Daina, and Micah steaming into the Party Right.Dane and Aaron in the first semifinal.Real mids photo of Riley, Emily, and Tanner in the second semifinal.Daina winning the consolation final.Dane cruising to his finals victory after a big crash in the party corner.Critical shout out to Big Ty, our way too stoked start line guy.Justin and Erica got all cute and shit.
The podium!

The Pagans of the High Country

Photos: Devils Peak Downhill 2018